Dovepaw's Secret
by Thegirlinthetrashcan
Summary: If it says Tigerstripe, I'm sorry! I tried to fix it! Anyway, Dovepaw makes the harsh journey to the Moonpool, but its not to see her ancestors.
1. Chapter 1

Dovepaw purred as she pressed her muzzle against Tigerstripe's. Blinking, she pulled back and glanced around. The Moonpool glistened and reflected the ranks of StarClan in the night sky. _Would they approve? _Dovepaw wondered, feeling a prick of guilt. Of course they wouldn't! She flicked her tail angrily. _That isn't fair! _She gazed at Tigerstripe and felt another purr push itself back up her throat. Why should the warrior code ban cats from being with who they loved? It wasn't right! Tigerstripe seemed to sense that something was wrong. "What's got your fur ruffled?" he murmured, curling his tail around hers. Dovepaw frowned. "What if… what if someone catches us? We'll be crowfood!" Tigerstripe blinked. "I know that. I thought you did, too." His eyes suddenly pierced into hers and she immediately wished she could stuff her words back down her throat. They both knew the risks. But they also knew each other was worth it. Dovepaw licked his hear and padded over to the Moonpool. Her ears twitched as she thought about how ironic it was—them being in the place where medicine cats met StarClan, doing something their ancestors would most disapprove of. Dovepaw arched her back and stretched luxuriously.

Tigerstripe watched her, tail twitching. "Do you think they know?" he asked, making her look up from the glistening pond. Bewildered, she cocked her head to the side. "Our Clans? I hope not!" Tigerstripe's ears twitched in amusement. "No, bee-brain, I mean StarClan!" Dovepaw's ears flew back. "Of course they know! They're _StarClan_!"

She watched him as he sighed and gazed up at the sky. He was so perfect. So handsome, so strong…_So ShadowClan!_ Her conscience spat. _You are from _Thunder_Clan! You are smashing the warrior code so pieces by being with him! _Dovepaw hissed aloud and Tigerstripe stared at her, puzzled. "What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing his cheek against hers. "Nothing," sighed, purring as she licked his cheek affectionately.


	2. Dovepaw's Dream

She was flying! Swirling around in the air. _How is this possible? _She wondered gleefully as she headed for a cloud. Suddenly, the cloud turned gray and solidified. Puzzled, she opened her mouth to yowl, but water flooded in.

Dovepaw wrenched her eyes open to find she was underwater, and the "cloud" had been a rock she was hurling toward in the current. _I was dreaming! _Panic clogged her throat as she struggled to return to the surface. Looking around wildly, she saw that the water was clear and she could see rocks overhanging the pond. _I fell in the Moonpool! _The realization hit her like blow in the stomach. That should have calmed her, but it made her flail her paws around even more, struggling to find air. Was this her punishment? Was StarClan that upset with her?

Suddenly, Dovepaw's movements stilled. It would be easy to just let go of her worries, of her will to live. Maybe Tigerheart had fallen in, too. Maybe he had given up already. _No! You will _live_! _Dovepaw flinched as the words were yowled into her brain. A cat appeared before her, swimming easily against the current. The water became still as the cat dug her teeth into Dovepaw's scruff and dragged her up, through the clear, calm water. Then, they were on the shore as air flooded into the apprentice's lungs. She gulped it in, knowing she could be on the bottom of the Moonpool right now.

"Did you thing we'd let you die in the place our word is heard most clearly?" Dovepaw whipped around at the mew of the blue-gray cat that had saved her. It drilled into her ears like a swarm of bees. The cat wrapped its tail around its paws and fixed the apprentice with her clear blue gaze. Dovepaw gasped, "_Bluestar_?" The ancient leader nodded. "I once made the same mistake as you," she mewed, her eyes full of wisdom and sorrow. Dovepaw tipped her head to the side. "What are you talking about?" she asked, though her stomach lurched as she realized what her ancestor meant.

"He's a fine young warrior," Bluestar continued as if Dovepaw hadn't spoken, "but he's from ShadowClan. You…you may have to fight him one day…or worse." Her eyes drilled into Dovepaw's and the apprentice had to look away. "But he went with us to find the beavers. He was loyal the whole time, and so brave…" Bluestar cuffed her gently over the ear to get her attention. "Dovepaw, you are part of a prophecy. You must fulfill your destiny, and your destiny is _not _him."

Suddenly, Dovepaw narrowed her eyes. "How do _you _know what my destiny is? If Jayfeather and Lionblaze are right, this prophecy is bigger than StarClan! Bigger than you." Bluestar lashed her tail. "Who do you think told them about the prophecy in the first place?" "That doesn't mean you made it!" Dovepaw dug her claws into the ground as she glared at ThunderClan's former leader. Finally, Bluestar looked away. "Fine. You'll find it out the hard way. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to convince you otherwise." The StarClan cat started to pad away, and before Dovepaw could blink, she was gone.


End file.
